Cought this baby with my bare hands off the beach of Lake Michigan, right next to the Frankfort Pier.

The water was up to my chest, I reached down, my head went under the water, I opened my eyes and gently put my hands under it's belly. Lifted and walked out of the water with a 22 lb King salmon in my hands! You can imagine the reaction on the faces of the tourists and local beach goers.

That might not even be the unbelievable part. Coincidently, right before that I pulled a smaller fish out of the water that had gotten snagged by a fisherman on the Pier. He wasn't to impressed... until I came walking down the Pier with my second fish... bigger than his first! :rambo: It must be my animal magnetism.

Anyhow a nice fisherman on the Pier gave me some rope so I could tie the fish up and carry it. I hefted it back (6 blocks) to my grandparents house where my grampa filleted it. We ate some that night! It was good. I caught the biggest fish that year out of my whole family. :D

Needless to say, Most people don't believe me. I can't say that I would believe you if you told me the same story, but hey thats my story and I'm sticking to it! ;o)

Got a fishin story of your own? Post it here!

USMC0311

07-29-02, 11:34 AM

I'll verify Willies story IT Is TRUE.

CAS3

07-29-02, 11:37 AM

Is that WILLIE????

USMC0311

07-29-02, 11:41 AM

10-4 CAS that little man is my Son. He has been a work horse all his life. If He was a Marine He'd B A Grunt :) cuz He's Smart also :)

give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. send him to Michigan and he will eat forever!!

P.S. the little man is 6ft now. hope he don't go to the coast, he might bring home a whale.

Humm, if I didn't know better I would swear it was willie that went out into the ocean and hand carried them to shore.

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<HR>

Nine Whales Die, Dozens Rescued on Cape Cod
Monday, July 29, 2002

DENNIS, Mass. — About 50 pilot whales beached themselves on a stretch of Cape Cod sand Monday and at least nine died before vacationers and other volunteers could push the animals back out to deeper water in a feverish rescue effort.

Hundreds of vacationers lined a quarter-mile of Chapin Beach and watched as rescuers tended to the small, glistening black whales, first discovered stranded about 6 a.m.

At least nine of the whales died after spending hours in the hot sun. Some of the carcasses were taken away in a dump truck while volunteers poured buckets of water over the others and draped them with wet towels to keep them moist.

The rising tide at midday helped the volunteers push the remaining whales back into water deep enough for the animals to swim on their own.

"To see this many whales get off free after six hours is amazing," said Judy Scarafile, a member of the Cape Cod Stranding Network. "We all have our fingers crossed that they'll not come back."

Several vacationers joined volunteers from the stranding network, the New England Aquarium and the Center for Coastal Studies in the rescues.

"We came to the beach expecting a nice relaxing day," said Rob Barresi, of Natick, who with his brother, Michael, helped the whales.

Pilot whales are common in New England waters. They range from 12 to 16 feet in length as adults and weigh about 1,800 pounds. Also known as blackfish, they feed on squid, sand eels and small crustaceans.

Mass strandings of pilot whales are not unusual since they are highly sociable animals that travel and feed in groups and frequent areas near the coastline.

In July 2000, 10 pilot whales were stranded in shallow water off Nantucket Island. They died despite the efforts of volunteers and whale experts.

On Christmas Eve 1991, 31 pilot whales became stranded off Cape Cod and died. Scientists said the whales apparently were following tiny crustaceans called krill when they became trapped in the shallows.

Havelka

07-29-02, 03:35 PM

Originally posted by Sparrowhawk
http://www.foxnews.com/images/61854/2_21_072902_whales.jpg

Humm, if I didn't know better I would swear it was willie that went out into the ocean and hand carried them to shore.

<HR>
<HR>

Nine Whales Die, Dozens Rescued on Cape Cod
Monday, July 29, 2002

DENNIS, Mass. — About 50 pilot whales beached themselves on a stretch of Cape Cod sand Monday and at least nine died before vacationers and other volunteers could push the animals back out to deeper water in a feverish rescue effort.

Hundreds of vacationers lined a quarter-mile of Chapin Beach and watched as rescuers tended to the small, glistening black whales, first discovered stranded about 6 a.m.

At least nine of the whales died after spending hours in the hot sun. Some of the carcasses were taken away in a dump truck while volunteers poured buckets of water over the others and draped them with wet towels to keep them moist.

The rising tide at midday helped the volunteers push the remaining whales back into water deep enough for the animals to swim on their own.

"To see this many whales get off free after six hours is amazing," said Judy Scarafile, a member of the Cape Cod Stranding Network. "We all have our fingers crossed that they'll not come back."

Several vacationers joined volunteers from the stranding network, the New England Aquarium and the Center for Coastal Studies in the rescues.

"We came to the beach expecting a nice relaxing day," said Rob Barresi, of Natick, who with his brother, Michael, helped the whales.

Pilot whales are common in New England waters. They range from 12 to 16 feet in length as adults and weigh about 1,800 pounds. Also known as blackfish, they feed on squid, sand eels and small crustaceans.

Mass strandings of pilot whales are not unusual since they are highly sociable animals that travel and feed in groups and frequent areas near the coastline.

In July 2000, 10 pilot whales were stranded in shallow water off Nantucket Island. They died despite the efforts of volunteers and whale experts.

On Christmas Eve 1991, 31 pilot whales became stranded off Cape Cod and died. Scientists said the whales apparently were following tiny crustaceans called krill when they became trapped in the shallows.

USMC0311
It's great to read the pride you have in your son,and you should.
He seems to be quite a man. Nice job PAPA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

USMC0311

07-29-02, 11:44 PM

Thank You Gunny. The Corps is my Mentor
Semper Fi, Marine!

GarvinRay

07-31-02, 05:04 PM

Willie's story reminds me of the man braging about the big fish he caught that must have been 30" long. His friend said, "Hell, that's nothing. I was fishing off the dock and reeled up an old oil latern. It was still lit".

The bragger said: "No way could it still be lit under water".

Friend: "Ok, I'll blow the light out if you'll take about 20" off that fish you caught". LOL

USMC 0311, I am sure you are proud of you son. In addition, I still have reminders of my M-l thumb under my nail. It's only been about 54 years; however, I still remember the lesson. (Is this telling our age??)

USMC0311

07-31-02, 09:28 PM

GalvinRay
"USMC 0311, I am sure you are proud of you son. In addition, I still have reminders of my M-l thumb under my nail. It's only been about 54 years; however, I still remember the lesson. (Is this telling our age??)"

Semper Fi, MAC
I had the opportunity to fire the M-1 when we was at Okie for Jungle warfar trainin July 65. some reason the G-2 was that the gooks was gonna have sum of them .. Big Joke they had AK's

Thank You and all the "WW 2" Marines for allowing me the Freedom to Honor the Proud shadow you cast.